Meet jeff chambers

Jeff Chambers has been involved with Bethlehem Ministry for nearly a decade, most recently as a sponsor of our upcoming Athens, GA fundraiser, Hops for Haiti. We are eternally grateful for the way Jeff shares his gifts with the people of northeast Haiti. He has organized multiple medical mission trips, bringing medical expertise to many who would not otherwise have access.

Left to right - Carlton Guthrie CRNA, Jeff Chambers PA-C (holding Iselande, a patient, post-surgery), and Chip Ogburn MD

"My association with Clinique Espérance et Vie began shortly after the 2010 earthquake. Trey and Anna Scott asked me to go down to Terrier Rouge with a group of students, and work in the Clinic. I was “hooked” from the beginning and have been proud to be a part of the volunteer medical service to the Clinic. It became apparent early on that a real need was surgical services, especially orthopedic surgery. Many of the residents had unmet needs and could not afford surgery at other facilities. Our first surgical mission was put together on donations from Athens Orthopedic Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, GA. We had no shortage of volunteers from both facilities, and the mission proved to be a success. Since that time, we have had several missions to Terrier Rouge, as well as sister missions providing plastic surgery and oral surgery by teams from Atlanta. Our goal from the start was to provide a consistent surgical service to assist and train the Haitian medical teams. I have no doubt that Clinique Espérance Et Vie can be the “gold standard” for clinics in Northeast Haiti and look forward to helping in the future."

Jeff Chambers, PA-C

Urgent Care of Oconee

Spotlight: Deb Myers

It has been my privilege to serve on the Board of Bethlehem Ministry for the past five years and as a volunteer for seven. As a Board member, I visit Haiti 1 – 2 times a year with a team of U.S. volunteers to tour the projects that Bethlehem Ministry sponsors, provide service to the people of Northeast Haiti, and deepen my relationships with the people working on our projects and living in the communities we serve. The most impactful parts of my visits are building relationships and being in fellowship with Haitians, learning more about Haitian lives and culture, and having time to reflect on my own American life and how I might live out the lessons that I learn from my Haitian friends.

I have developed a deep respect for the people of Terrier Rouge and those living in outlying communities. The genuine care and concern people have for the wellbeing of their neighbors, their promotion of youth development, and their entrepreneurial spirit are enviable! Haitians are also some of the most welcoming and open people I have met. Bethlehem Ministry’s partners are always out and about in the streets of Terrier Rouge listening to and ministering to people, seeking ways to provide assistance in solidarity with the community, and empowering Haitians to improve their own situation.

Over the past 7 years, the changes that I can see in Terrier Rouge are palatable. The school has grown, businesses have been established, housing and sanitation have improved, and access to high quality health care is constantly expanding. People also walk a little taller, children look happier, and there is a buzz in the streets that was not there when I first visited Terrier Rouge. Residents know that Pere Bruno and his projects have made a significant

difference for them and they all readily welcome his American guests.

I am proud to be a part of Bethlehem Ministry and am honored that I can make a small contribution to a large effort that is making great strides for the empowerment of the people in Northeast Haiti. I plan to be a part of “B’Min” for years to come!

Deb Myers

Board of Directors

Deb leads a team of volunteers on a trip to Terrier-Rouge at least once a year.

Marching Uphill

One of the lucky families high in the mountains who got help from some Bethlehem Ministry families to plant trees and crops on their steep land

A year and a half ago some families at St. Paul’s Episcopal in Newnan, Georgia and at First Presbyterian in Athens changed the life trajectory of some Haitian families by giving them the resources to plant their steep land with agro-forests. With that jump start, those families scored. Tree and crop cover are up, erosion is down, and optimism for their kids’ future is growing, all of which has given us the confidence to expand the idea to other communities - four of them in fact. The goals remain the same - help the land produce more, protect it for the future, and build household income using new cropping techniques and equipment to make value-added commodities. Juice from guava fruit, roof rafters from eucalyptus trees, bread from manioc roots, soap from Jatrofa seeds - there are so many plant-based possibilities because Haiti is in the tropics. When farm communities can tap those possibilities, their economy improves. Bethlehem Ministry is helping them do that. Thank you all. JP’s new project called Land and Livelihood Transformation on Steep Land, is a three-year project focused on 500 participants and beneficiaries with economic benefits reaching many more. It is ambitious but on the strength of the St. Paul’s /First Presbyterian trial balloons, we know we can pull it off. One of the lessons I learned watching Pere Bruno build St. Barthélémy from a dream and an empty lot is, stick with it even if you don’t have everything in hand. That has become JP’s marching orders and I invite you to march along. If you do, you can skip the gym and eat a dozen doughnuts, because JP is marching up some mighty steep slopes.

Rob Fisher

Director, Partner for People and Place